Finding a Good Cleaning Service

How to Find a Good Cleaning Service in the Philadelphia Area

Cleaning services abound around the Philadelphia area, from huge companies to individuals trying to make a few extra dollars. The large companies are often well-known and therefore seem trustworthy, but the individuals may seem flexible with very attractive rates. How do you decide?

In part, your decision depends on what kind of cleaning you want done. Is it a one time cleaning, perhaps before you move into a new home, or do you want your home cleaned on a regular basis? Do you need any extra services, such as deep-cleaning an extra messy site or washing windows, cleaning a basement? Large companies may be willing to work with you, but more often you will find the most flexibility among individuals.

Price is another consideration. Individuals are more likely to be willing to negotiate a better price than a large company. Hiring an individual will also allow you to develop and maintain a relationship with one person, so they know your preferences and you know their work.

On the other hand, individuals often do not have proper business credentials -- no business license, insurance, workers comp. Some may not be legally permitted to work in this country. This means you have to be more careful when hiring an independent contractor to clean your house. A bonafide company will have taken care of background checks, insurance, bonding, etc. There are also plenty of real cleaning companies that are locally owned and operated. These may be the best of both worlds, although many Philadelphia homeowners have done well hiring a individual from the newspaper classifieds or craigslist. 

Perhaps the single most important step in hiring a cleaning service is to ask for and actually check references. A good house cleaner should be able to provide some references for personal character or from people they've worked for before. Don't let anyone in your home before you've checked those references.

Find a Good Tree Service Now: Hurricane Season Is Just Around the Corner

Hurricane season is here. But did you realize the peak of hurricane season
is coming up in September and October? Now is the time to locate a reliable tree service company so you are prepared for those fallen limbs and branches, or uprooted trees.

The worst time to search for a tree service is at 3 am when the tree has fallen on your car! You will be waiting behind their regular customers and you won't know if you have a quality service or not.

Make contact now, so you can check out the tree service to be certain you will have quality, safe tree removal when needed. Ask about certifications, experience and the all-important question of what happens to the stump. Leave these questions to chance or choose an inexperienced company and you could end up staring at -- and tripping over -- a huge stump that will begin to grow back in some cases, or just provide shelter for weeds in other cases. Will the company completely grind it away, leaving no trace or will they simply cut it level to the ground? Do they haul away all the debris? Be sure you know what's involved, how safety issues are handled and exactly what you are getting for your money. Get a written estimate that details every responsibility.

Don't forget that a reliable tree service company should have liability insurance and worker's compensation insurance. It usually takes a couple of hours to get proof of workman's comp insurance, so this is another reason to check into a tree service ahead of time. This is important as someone who just comes to the door offering to take care of the problem and then gets injured could sue you. Or they could do massive damage to your home or your neighbor's home, again costing you money, time and anguish. Tree service is not a task to leave to the first person who knocks on the door with a chain saw.

It's wise to check for loose or weak branches, sick trees, and those that are overhanging the house, garage, wires or cars now. Have those taken care of immediately instead of waiting for disaster to happen. If you aren't sure a tree is safe, have it checked by a reputable tree service. The estimate is free.

Easy Care Landscaping, lawn care leaders in the Philadelphia area, provide expert tree service including a certified tree expert on staff, Bobby Hopkins. They have the right knowledge, the skill and the right equipment to safely handle any tree service problems.

Easy Care Landscaping Tree Service in progress

Easy Care Landscaping has the skill and equipment for safe tree service.

Easy Care Landscaping's Certified Tree Expert

Gangsta Gardening: How Guerrilla Gardening is Revolutionizing Urban Farming and Soon, the World

This is something that would be good for Philadelphia. We already have a great start with a number of community gardening projects, but it needs to spread to more communities and individual yards. Encourage more children to learn to garden and eat what they grow. Learn to incorporate food gardening into your landscaping design.
Self-reliance can be incorporated into city life easier than you think. Learn more about the trend below:

Gangsta Gardening: How Guerrilla Gardening is Revolutionizing Urban Farming and Soon, the World:

'via Blog this'

Helpful Tips for Starting or Improving a Lawn

If you've decided that it's time get a new lawn started or get the one you have in better shape but you're not sure where to start, here are some tips. Whether you're starting from scratch or just filling in bald patches, the first step is deciding which method to take. After you factor in the season, your budget, and how hands-on you want to get, several options are available. 

Seeding
If you're starting a new area with seed, it's usually best to begin planting in late summer/early fall, according to the Penn State College of Agriculture Sciences. Planting seed at this time gives seedlings the benefit of having two cool seasons, fall and spring, to become established. Before starting any type of seeding, it's best to test your soil's pH level. This is easily accomplished by testing a small sample. Many lawn care providers or garden centers offer this service, as well as your local county extension office. By having your soil tested, you ensure that you're starting with a healthy foundation for grass seedlings to grow in.

Overseeding
Filling in bald spots can be successfully achieved by scattering seed over bare areas, as long as the seeds make contact with the soil. Overseeding can be done during late-winter, spring and fall. It's best not to plant seed in the hottest months of the year, especially during a hot Philadelphia summer when the average high temperature reaches 87 degrees.

Sodding
Sod, or "instant lawn" is a portion of grass that has been cut into squares or rolls and removed whole. These portions are then quickly repositioned onto bare soil. Following installation, it is crucial that the sod be maintained properly with frequent watering to stay moist. Although spring or fall are best, sodding can be done at any time during the growing season, according to Better Homes & Gardens. Be extra careful about daily watering during very hot weather, but proper care of new sodding is a must at any time.

Which to Choose
While it is far less expensive, starting from seed takes a long time to grow and can be patchy. For more instant gratification, starting with sod can be a great option. Although it's much more costly, (up to 20 times more than starting with seed,) the end result is dense and weed resistant, and is usable much more quickly.
Doing your own sod installation costs about $400 for a 1,000 square foot area. Having it professionally installed doubles the cost; however, sod is heavy and laying it is hard work. Be sure that you're prepared to commit the amount of time and effort needed to care for it, especially during the first 14 days. It can take upwards of two years to be fully rooted and mature. Hiring a reputable lawn care service can help you protect your investment.

May Lawn Care Tips for Philadelphia

Courtesy of Easy Care Landscaping, Philadelphia, PA

Since it’s May you’re probably mowing your grass fairly regularly if you live in the Philadelphia or Bucks County area. The interesting thing about lawn care is that a surprising number of people don’t really know how to mow the grass. Then, they wonder why their lawn doesn’t look its best or why it's hard to keep it free of weeds or disease. Yellow, patchy, listless grass can make every other element in the landscaping look unappealing, no matter how well those other elements are maintained.

The first thing that a homeowner needs to do is make sure that the mower, whether it a rotary mower or a reel mower, is in good shape. That means that the blade needs to be sharp. You can sharpen the blade yourself, but if you’re nervous about it you can have a lawn mower repair service do it for you. If you have a very large yard it’s also a good idea to keep a few spare blades on hand to make sure you always have a sharp one. Dull blades can simply crush your grass instead of slicing it cleanly. This invites disease. Blades also need to be balanced and the right height.

Another thing to do when you mow is to change up your mowing pattern. This will make sure that the wheels of the lawnmower don’t compact the grass and wear it down. One good way to mow is from the outside in. It removes the tedium of having to backtrack if you mow the grass in parallel rows. To keep the grass from being compacted, reverse your path from one mowing to the next. Also make sure to leave the clippings on the grass, because they make an excellent mulch and provide nutrients.

If you live in Philadelphia or Bucks County, you’ll probably see a fair amount of rain in May, but you should water if you have a drought that lasts for more than 10 days. Make sure that you water deeply because shallow watering only encourages roots to grow on the surface instead of going deeply into the soil.

May is also a good time to fertilize the grass with a slow release organic fertilizer. Fertilizers that are fast release make the grass grow too quickly and are also used up quickly.

Some grasses are more subject to thatch than others. This is when dead grass, roots, stems and runners form mats and cut off nutrients, oxygen and water. You can find out if your lawn has thatch by digging up a plug of it and looking at it. You can use a dethatching or aerating machine to get rid of thatch or again, let a lawn care specialist come and do it.

March Lawn Tasks: Raking

Raking in any month can be beneficial for your yard. March is a particularly good time to rake since there are few leaves, if any, and plenty of old dead matter to clean up in time for over seeding in April. Just be sure all the snow has gone and the ground is not still frozen.

Raking gets rid of any dead mess and allows fresh grass to grow on the surface. This takes a few weeks, but it's well worth it if you are looking to improve the look of your yard or home in general. While you don't necessarily have to even rake it in order for some of this to occur, raking allows the grass to form in a more uniform fashion and improves the overall health of the soil surface and grass, thus looking a lot better in the long run.

A lot of people are confused as to how exactly this works. Basically, the grass is unable to surface in the first place because the dirt is weighing it down. It is not able to grow nearly as effectively because of this, but when the ground is raked it then has the room and the ability to flourish to its maximum potential. This is the reason that you see so many fields that are often raked or plowed grow some of the most vibrant, green grass. It may take a few tries to get it right, but the outcome is phenomenal.

Raking up the leaves and debris in the fall serves a similar purpose, but fewer people realize it is also important to rake the lawn at the end of the winter. The dirt and any dead grass is actually what causes a majority of the weight. The reason that grass has a tendency to die so often is also because it is shielded from the light, something that larger leaves have a tendency to do in heavy fall. This is not nearly as big of a deal during a month like March, but it's still something to keep in mind.


Finally, don't forget that one of the healthiest ways to maintain fresh grass is to keep it trimmed properly. Cutting it too short causes damage and disease, but regular trimming to the length recommended for your type of grass is important starting in the Spring. Home Depot suggests waiting until grass has gotten a good growth spurt, reaching 3 to 4 inches before the first mowing. A proper trim will put you in a great place when it comes to the health and beauty of your yard.

Resources:

http://www.lifeandlawns.com/2008/04/20/when-why-and-how-to-rake-your-lawn/

Get Rid of Those Bare Spots in the Lawn During Warming April Weather

April, with its warming weather, is the best time to reseed the lawn or grow some grass in areas that are bare. When the seeds are sown for grass to fill in some bare spots in the lawn or thicken the lawn it's called over seeding.

Sowing by Hand or Drill

The seeds can be sown by hand or by a seed drill if the owner has a large area. A seed drill is a box on wheels with perforations at the bottom that allows it to sow the seeds and then cover them. If the owner or gardener is going to hand sow the seeds, the seeds should be divided into two equal portions. The gardener can add sand to the seeds to make sure the distribution is more even. Half the seeds should be sown lengthwise and half should be sown crosswise while the gardener walks around the area. A larger area can be divided into smaller areas to make sowing less cumbersome. The gardener can use a drill to sow the seeds in parallel strips. As with hand-sowing, the seeds should be sown lengthwise then crosswise.

Seeds Need Contact With the Soil

After sowing, the area should be raked through lightly to mix the seeds into the soil. Grass seeds that are buried too deeply might not germinate. To discourage birds, small twigs or sticks can be stuck into the seedbed and then connected by black thread about three or four inches above the soil. The seedbed shouldn't be watered heavily right away but should be gently sprinkled a few times a day at first.

The seeds should be sown on a calm, dry day in a dry seedbed. April is ideal because the soil is beginning to warm up and it’s at the beginning of the growing season.

Further Reading
Seed Vs Sod
Over Seeding
Over Seeding Techniques and Tips

Five Plants That Repel Mosquitoes

Many of us seek refuge in our homes to evade the attacks of mosquitoes or rub insect repellents on our skin which leaves us feeling sticky or with an undesirable smell. We become prisoners in our own homes, as we are unable to enjoy sitting on the porch or looking out at our lawns and the beautiful way in which our landscaping is done through our hard work. Those of us who love gardening may be able to bear the attacks because we are determined to keep our gardens beautiful, but many of us would much rather enjoy this past time without wondering if the next bite is going to be the one to make us sick with Dengue Fever or the West Nile Virus. There may be such relief, as natural plants and oils can repel with these pesky insects. Some plants have been found to be natural repellents. These plants – flowers and herbs, can be safely planted in your gardens or used in your landscaping, as a part of visually enhancing your property.

5 plants used to repel mosquitoes

To date there have been ten commonly found plants and herbs that are now known to have mosquito repelling properties. They can be planted in the dirt or in pots so that they can be easily placed in close proximity to your location or outside to stave off mosquito attacks. These plants may serve well in areas, such as Philadelphia which is now embroiled in a battle with the white tiger mosquito, which has been plaguing the area and has health officials scrambling to eradicate the vector. (For more information on the white tiger mosquito visit the links which are provided at the bottom of this article).

• Catnip is an herb that is a native of Europe but now mostly grows wild in the US. It is found that while cats may be uncontrollably attracted to it, it does wonders at repelling mosquitoes and cockroaches. It is considered one of the most effective natural plant repellents that there is and is quite easy to grow even though it has to be watered frequently and requires a lot of sun.

• Citronella may sound very familiar as it should; it is a clumping grass and is the source of Citronella oil which is widely used in aromatherapy and household products. The oil from this plant is used as a repellent in tikki torches and candles. In order for the plant to thrive it needs lots of sun and water, but it will not survive the winter season.

• Horsemint is easy to cultivate as it grows in most types of soils and is able to thrive in dry weather and sandy soils. Its smell is close to that of citronella. However, it can reach heights of about 2 to 3 feet so ensure that you leave the necessary room to grow.

• Marigolds are the flowers that signify beauty with a purpose. These plants are perfect for borders along walkways but they are also good at repelling mosquitoes. However, it is advised that the African and the French variation of this plant will get you the best results are deterring the vectors. These plants thrive in full sunlight and areas where the soil is well fertilized.

• Ageratum can be grown in any climate and in any types of soil with moderate or full exposure to the sun. It blooms beautiful purple flowers that are a beautiful addition to your home garden.

In areas such as Bucks County and Philadelphia that is battling an infestation of mosquitoes, it is advised that these plants be placed closely together in your gardens for best results or in places where there is heavy need. Consult a local landscaping business for additional help in determining where and how to place plants to repel mosquitoes, as well as care of the plants. For added protection, crush the leaves of the plants and place them in vodka or alcohol for the oils to be released, this then can be applied lightly to your skin.


*More helpful information on the white tiger mosquito can be found at the following sites:

http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/pctigermosquito.htm
http://www.nhcgov.com/Health/enviro-health/mosquito-vector/Pages/asian-tiger-mosquito.aspx
http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2012-09-12/lifestyle/35497815_1_asian-tiger-tiger-mosquito-black-mosquitoes
http://alexandriava.gov/MosquitoControl

Weed Control and Lawn Maintenance Services

Weed control is an ongoing problem for yards and gardens. If left unattended the weeds will take over your yard and will compete with the grass or plants for water and nutrients. Over time, your grass and foliage can stop growing and even die if weeds are not managed. Weeds also attract disease and pests.
 
Why Hire a Weed Control Service

Your lawn will require aerating, dethatching, seeding, pest and weed control every spring, followed by an end-of-season maintenance.  You will find that controlling weeds yourself can be very time-consuming and the intensive labor puts pressure on your hands, knees, and back. 
Lawn maintenance services will evaluate your yard and document the types of weeds in your yard that are invasive; grassy weeds, broadleaf weeds, crabgrass, chickweed, speedwell and henbit. The service may take a soil test for fungus growth and will examine the yard for pests before discussing with you the organic or chemical treatments that are available for your yard and garden. 
A yard of 3000 square feet would take you approximately 30 hours in the spring to clean up your yard and gardens. After that, an average of three to six hours per week will be needed to keep your yard and gardens weed-free and maintained. If you are on a tight schedule or you don’t enjoy being outside working then hiring a lawn care service will help you.

Choosing the Right Service

A lawn maintenance service should be knowledgeable and have excellent references. There should be an upfront estimate and explanation of the services, as well as a guarantee of satisfaction.
A weed control service will supply all equipment and supplies, including pest control and fertilizer, as well as broadcast granular spreaders or power sprayer for herbicide, pest or fertilizer application.
Depending on your yard and garden requirements, the weed service will keep records on your yard by monitoring the weed growth every 4-8 weeks throughout the growing season. You will receive a statement every time the service contractor checks or treats your yard. A local lawn maintenance service will have an interest in the quality of their work, the conduct of their employees and the satisfaction of their customers, since they are local small business people who have roots and ties to the area.

How Weed Service Benefits You

In many cases, your overall health will improve and your energy level increase, no more sore and achy muscles from working in your yard. A weed control service will allow you time to do the things that you would like to do. A qualified weed-control and landscaping service knows how to safely choose and handle toxic chemicals, as well as how to avoid them as much as possible. You can spend quality time in your yard and garden and take pleasure in a yard that is healthy and weed-free.